Author Topic: Magical Lotus - Mahou Shoujou Byakuren - Episode 4, Part 2 (Read 96197 times)

Oldmansour · « **Reply #240 on:** July 20, 2015, 02:37:07 PM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 20, 2015, 01:29:04 PM

>But if... but if it isn't worse than this, we must have done it, right? ...right?
>Gingerly turn our head to try and assess the present situation

>Well, you did see the sword explode. But as for what happened after....
>Not trying to stifle the groan that escapes your lips, you assess the situation as best as you can. Rin doesn't seem to have been shifted much by that blast wave, as she is still where she fell after the sword's beam struck her, and though she is bleeding again from the wounds on her leg and tail, she doesn't seem to be bleeding from anywhere else. Both Lily and Reisen were blown backwards by the shockwave as well, and though they are both intact, you can't tell how badly either one has been hurt from this angle. Nor can you see Patchy from down here.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #241 on:** July 20, 2015, 11:35:33 PM »

>Is... is everyone alright?
>Try to pull ourselves upright enough to scan for Patchy. Slowly.

Oldmansour · « **Reply #242 on:** July 21, 2015, 07:48:19 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 20, 2015, 11:35:33 PM

>Is... is everyone alright?
>Try to pull ourselves upright enough to scan for Patchy. Slowly.

>Reisen manages a quiet mental groan, though she does not rise. I... I think so. Give me a minute... Neither Lily nor White Rose reply.
>Very carefully, you pull your upper body up off the ground. It is with tremendous relief that you see Patchy, like your comrades, has hit the dirt. She is lying on her side, appears to be unconscious, her clothing has returned to normal, and she no longer exudes that aura of rage. In fact, she doesn't exude any aura at all.
>And neither does The Champion of Water crouching down next to her.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #243 on:** July 21, 2015, 07:52:21 AM »

>Looking perfectly humanoid and not puddle-like in shape at the moment?
>Did she remember her clothing this time?
>Are we close enough to Rin to go examine her condition, since she seems to be unconscious at least?

Oldmansour · « **Reply #244 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:02:21 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 07:52:21 AM

>Looking perfectly humanoid and not puddle-like in shape at the moment?
>Did she remember her clothing this time?
>Are we close enough to Rin to go examine her condition, since she seems to be unconscious at least?

>Correct.
>She did. Very polite of her.
>You believe so.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #245 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:03:53 AM »

>Then let's go check on Rin first

Oldmansour · « **Reply #246 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:14:50 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 08:03:53 AM

>Then let's go check on Rin first

>Louise can keep for now, you have other worries. Taking a moment to brace yourself, you laboriously haul yourself to your feet. Your head doesn't feel any worse in the action, and though your legs are not completely firm beneath you, they seem to support your weight well enough.
>"You really should take it easy, Hero." Louise calls after you as you turn from her and make your way back to your Rin. "That explosion hurt me, it must have been dreadful for you."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #247 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:16:54 AM »

>"I have to make sure they're okay."
>Go make sure she's okay

Oldmansour · « **Reply #248 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:34:40 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 08:16:54 AM

>"I have to make sure they're okay."
>Go make sure she's okay

>"They're alive, I can assure you of that." Louise says reassuringly. And not that you don't believe her, but you'll feel better once you check them yourself, starting with Rin. Like you, her nose has bled a little as well, but that seems to have stopped. The wounds on her tail and leg still bleed, but only very slightly. Her breathing, while not entirely normal, is neither faint nor weak enough to cause you great concern. You suspect that, like you, she was KO'd by that last blast, but since she took that sword beam shot first, it may take her longer to come to than you took.
>"I must say," the Champion says conversationally, "I thought you handled that very well."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #249 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:39:25 AM »

>"You expected worse?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #250 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:48:10 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 08:39:25 AM

>"You expected worse?"

>"Once you knocked her out and the sword took over, I expected at the least that someone would lose a limb. But here we are, with all five of you alive and intact." The Champion seems oddly satisfied at that.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #251 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:52:45 AM »

>"You obviously know more about what transpired here than you first let on; I would appreciate hearing it."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #252 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:55:53 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 08:52:45 AM

>"You obviously know more about what transpired here than you first let on; I would appreciate hearing it."

>"What would you like to know?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #253 on:** July 21, 2015, 08:58:48 AM »

>"Well, we can start with what was up with that sword. I've gotten the impression you anticipated both its presence and the effect it would have on Patchouli, and were counting on us to destroy it from the start. Is that correct?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #254 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:06:36 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 08:58:48 AM

>"Well, we can start with what was up with that sword. I've gotten the impression you anticipated both its presence and the effect it would have on Patchouli, and were counting on us to destroy it from the start. Is that correct?"

>"No."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #255 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:12:02 AM »

>"What was it, though? It appeared as though she had conjured that sword herself. You say that she was unconscious during the last part of the battle? How could her own construct possess her in that fashion? Was there something else to it?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #256 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:18:54 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 09:12:02 AM

>"What was it, though? It appeared as though she had conjured that sword herself. You say that she was unconscious during the last part of the battle? How could her own construct possess her in that fashion? Was there something else to it?"

>You need to pause for breath in the middle of that spiel. You are far from your normal self.
>Louise actually giggles quietly, "So full of questions, even after that kind of fight. If you meet Mother, I suppose you'll be questioning her for a week."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #257 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:20:22 AM »

>"I just might at that."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #258 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:31:39 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 09:20:22 AM

>"I just might at that."

>Chuckling again, Louise turns her head down to her Avatar. "Her anger, her need for revenge, is deeper than you know. That sword she manifested was an expression of that rage. She used it, but she still maintained some semblance of rationality. But then you four blasted her, and knocked her out, but you didn't destroy the sword. That meant her anger was still active even if her brain wasn't, only now it was turned on you four, the ones who were keeping her from her revenge."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #259 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:33:46 AM »

>"Does that mean nothing will have changed when she comes to again?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #260 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:42:47 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 09:33:46 AM

>"Does that mean nothing will have changed when she comes to again?"

>"Are you worried that you'll have to do this all over again?"

DracoOmega · « **Reply #261 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:44:43 AM »

>"The thought had occurred to me. And beyond that, she was a good friend to more than one of us. It hurts to see her as she was today - to think that woman may be forever gone."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #262 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:50:45 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 09:44:43 AM

>"The thought had occurred to me. And beyond that, she was a good friend to more than one of us. It hurts to see her as she was today - to think that woman may be forever gone."

>"She will not be back here for revenge. Now that you've beaten her, I am able to convince her that she already has her revenge."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #263 on:** July 21, 2015, 09:52:57 AM »

>"Already has her revenge?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #264 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:23:37 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 09:52:57 AM

>"Already has her revenge?"

>Louise nods. "By achieving not only this kind of power, but doing so while escaping the controlling influence of her parents. Now, I could not convince her of that until she at least tried to take her own kind of revenge. Such is the nature of anger. It had to run its course. But I also knew that I couldn't stop her without damaging her. As you may have noticed, my power is not as benign as yours."
>"But...." the voice of Reisen interjects. She has pulled herself up into a seated position, and you can see now that one of her eyes is nearly swollen shut, and she is bleeding from a cut on her upper arm. "Why would you... want to stop her?"
>Louise turns her head to face the wounded rabbit. "Because she would not have stopped with this. And she is too valuable to me, to us, to lose her to her own anger."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #265 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:25:37 AM »

>"And you really think this will be enough?"

Oldmansour · « **Reply #266 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:36:38 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 10:25:37 AM

>"And you really think this will be enough?"

>"If I did not believe so, I would not have said so." Louise states matter of factly.

DracoOmega · « **Reply #267 on:** July 21, 2015, 10:53:21 AM »

>"Fair enough. But she still will be something different than the woman she was, won't she? Not simply in power, but in heart."

Oldmansour · « **Reply #268 on:** July 21, 2015, 11:08:45 AM »

Quote from: DracoOmega on July 21, 2015, 10:53:21 AM

>"Fair enough. But she still will be something different than the woman she was, won't she? Not simply in power, but in heart."

>"She will be herself." Louise answers as she, rather gently, picks Patchouli off the ground. "She was always the Avatar of Water, Magical Lotus. Despite her parents best efforts. As for who, exactly, the Avatar is?" The Champion looks down at the comatose form in her arms, and smiles. "I myself will learn that very soon."

DracoOmega · « **Reply #269 on:** July 21, 2015, 11:17:31 AM »

>"I wanted to ask you what it is Avatars are. Air said that her Avatar had died in past, and yet up to this morning had seemed to have been living a normal life as a normal woman. The power she gave her, she said was supposed to have been hers from the moment she was born, and yet Sanae also spoke of how she became an Avatar after being cast into Makai. I'd like to understand."